Lonely Rose
by Nurse Steggy
Summary: She lost everything to fire...even her imaginary friend. Rose has been bounced from one foster home to another, and going to a new school is nothing new, but what happens when she meets a very special friend?


**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. If I did it would still be on TV.**

Alone…all alone. She felt so cold, and so miserable. She didn't feel the arms pick her up. She didn't feel the voice trying to soothe her. She didn't hear anything. She curled up in the corner of her room.

"Come on sweetie," the voice whispered.

She ignored the voice. She wanted it to go away. The girl shoved her arms out. How could they have done this to her? How?

"Daddy!" she croaked. "Mommy? Annalise?"

The voice belonged to a man. A police officer, the girl could tell. He was here to take her away. The little child thrashed in his arms screaming for her parents. She screamed for her imaginary friend…but none of them could hear her. And they never would.

Ten Years Later:

A small teen pressed her legs against her chest. Her soft strawberry blonde hair fell, unkempt, into her face. Her blue eyes were closed as she cried in the backseat of the car. She was wearing a pair of black sweats and a blue long sleeved shirt, with worn out black shoes.

The woman stopped at the school and said, "Be a good girl today, and I'll get you a treat."

The little teen somberly grabbed her back pack, opened the door, and started walking, as if she was walking to a funeral. Her heart was a broken mess, and she never wanted to go home. She didn't want to be anywhere. She looked over and saw some of the older kids playing with matches. She hated matches…she hated fire. Fire had taken her life away from her.

The bell rang and she walked into the classroom. The teacher smiled and said, "You must be our new student. There is an empty desk over there next to Mac. Mac raise your hand!"

A boy, around the age of fourteen-fifteen, lifted his hand up into the air. His chestnut hair just reached his eye brows in a rather adorable way. He smiled and waved. She didn't smile and didn't move.

"Class listen up! We have a new student, this is Rosaelyn…" the teacher said pausing. "Where's your last name dear."

Rosaelyn felt the stares and said, "Karr…Johnson, Jacken, Lois, Westburgs, if you have about two hours I can say the rest."

The teacher glared at her and Rosaelyn shrugged her shoulders and said, "I've been in a lot of foster homes in the past ten years."

Foster…that made Mac think of Foster's Home for Imaginary friends. He smiled a bit at the thought of his friends. Rosaelyn trudged over to Mac and sat down in the unoccupied desk.

"Hey newbie!" a girl called to Rosaelyn. "I think you're in the wrong room. Fourth grade is down the hall!"

"Hey shortie! Are you sure you can reach the desk?" a guy teased.

Mac looked at the girl. She was smaller than Mac, who was on the shorter side. He glared at the two and said, "Tiffany, Mark, shut up before I tell Mr. Fricolli what you two were doing in the boy's bathroom."

The girl's face got red. The boy looked as if he was going to hurt Mac. Rosaelyn flipped them off and returned to her notes. It seemed as if hours had passed, when the bell finally rang for science. Why did math make everything seem so much longer? Rosaelyn started to walk when she realized she had no idea where she was going.

"You need help?" a voice asked.

She turned to see the kid from math class…Mac.

"Yeah," Rosaelyn admitted. "Do you know where the science room is?"

"Follow me," Mac said.

Rosaelyn followed him closely. She didn't want to get lost, and she was partially afraid of what the other kids thought of her.

"So what happened to you?" Mac asked looking at her. "You look as if someone dragged you through a pricker bush."

Rosaelyn winced remembering what had occurred this morning. Her foster dad was a real piece 'o work. She looked at him and growled, "Nothing happened."

"HEY MAC!" a voice yelled.

A boy, probably a year older than him, ran over to them. He was holding a box of matches. Rosaelyn didn't even wait from him to speak. She slapped the box out of his hand. He looked at her and shoved her into the lockers.

"HEY! Steve lay off!" Mac snapped.

Rosaelyn was perfectly still against the lockers. She'd perfected this skill at a young age…but all she could think about were those cursed matches. She could feel the flames heating up the room. The pain of the burns, the way her face stung when she cried. She whimpered involuntarily, "Daddy? Mommy? Annalise?"

Mac felt his heart drop. He glared at Steve and shouted, "Way to go Steve! She's traumatized!"

"She smacked my hand!"

"Well maybe she's afraid of matches! Maybe she's afraid of fire!" Mac bellowed.

Steve's face melted into a frown. He looked at her, a gash on her head bleeding.

"Oh lord is she alive?" Steve asked Mac.

Mac bent over her and nudged her. He scooped her up and said, "Go to Mr. Sherman's class. Tell him Rosaelyn fell and got hurt, and that I'm taking her to the nurse."

Steve nodded guiltily and ran off. Mac carried her down to the nurse's office. The short, curly haired woman ran over to them.

"Oh my goodness what happened?"

"She tripped over someone's stuff and smacked her head against a locker," Mac lied.

The nurse nodded and started to patch up her head. Rosaelyn whined and cried. Mac felt an obligation to stay with her. She was crying…he couldn't leave her. He just couldn't bring himself to walk away. He walked over to her and sat down next to her.

"Daddy! Mommy! Annalise!" Rosaelyn cried.

"Rosaelyn? Rosa?" Mac said taking her hand. "Are you okay?"

Her body twitched as she wiggled around. Mac brushed her hair out of Rose's face. Rose's eyes snapped open as she bolted up. She cried and grabbed her head.

"Ouch!" she gasped.

"Hey…" Mac said gently. "How's your head?"

"It hurts like heck," Rosaelyn said. "Why'd that jerk of a friend throw me into the lockers?"

"Why did you slap the matches out of his hand?" Mac asked.

Rosaelyn looked down at her feet. She shivered and said, "I hate fire…I hate matches…I hate, hate, hate, hate, HATE fire."

"So you're afraid of fire," Mac concluded.

"My parents were killed in a fire…" Rosaelyn muttered looking down at him. "The first foster family I ever loved where taken by fire. My only true friend was taken by fire. I lost my imaginary friend in the fire too."

"Is that who Annalise is?" Mac asked gingerly wrapping his arms around her.

Rosaelyn nodded and grabbed Mac's shirt. She cried into his shirt and cuddled against him. Mac patted her back and said, "It'll be okay Ro. Everything will be just fine."

"That's what my daddy used to call me," Rosaelyn sighed.

"My father's dead as well," Mac sighed. "My mother might as well be dead. She's never around and Terrence used to be nightmare until he left home."

"Terrence?"

"My older brother…" Mac said. "That's why I created Bloo. That is until I had to give him up."

"You had an imaginary friend?"

"Yes…" Mac said smiling. "I know something we can do after school. Why don't you come with me to Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends?"

He knew Mr. Harriman would chew him out later, but Ro looked like she needed some gentle friends. She looked at him and said, "I'd have to ask my foster mother. Rona's pretty nice though."

"Sweet! So Rosaelyn…"

"Call me Rose," she interrupted. "Shouldn't we be in science?"

"Actually Rose," Mac said grinning. "It's lunch period. Do you want to get lunch?"

Rosaelyn smiled and nodded. The nurse took a look over here and said, "Alright dear, you can go. The bleeding stopped and it was only a shallow cut."

Rose smiled and followed Mac out of the nurse's office. They held hands and walked into the lunch room. She saw the boy and girl who'd been teasing her, and Steve, the boy who'd pushed her. Steve ran over to Mac.

"Mac! There you are!" he cried.

Mac took Rose's hand and puts it in Steve's.

"Steve this is Rosaelyn. Rosaelyn, this is my friend Steven Krauss," Mac said smiling.

Steve shook Rosaelyn's hand.

"I'm sorry I pushed you into the locker earlier. I feel like a jerk," Steven said apologetically.

Rosaelyn smiled and said, "And I'm sorry I knocked the matches out of your hand."

Mac put his arm around his two friends and they went to get their lunches.

After School:

Mac and Rose departed from school saying goodbye to Steve. He shrugged thinking that Mac and Rose were going to study together. He just kept walking in the other direction.

Mac took Rose's hand and led her to the gates. Rose stared up at the home. It was amazing! And so large! Rose looked at Mac timidly, and he led her inside.

"!" a voice came.

A blue blob ran over to them and hugged Mac. It then turned its eyes to the girl.

"Who's the chick?" he asked.

"Bloo don't be rude!" Mac scolded. "This is Rosaelyn. Rose this is my imaginary friend Bloo."

"Master Mac!"

Rosaelyn turned to see a large rabbit hopping towards them. She stared at the rabbit and then to the woman who awed them. She had bright red hair with green eyes. She walked over towards them.

"This is Frankie Foster," Mac said introducing the red haired girl. "Frankie this is Rosaelyn. She's the new girl at my school."

The rabbit looked at him and said, "Master Mac, may I remind you you're in violation of your agreement?"

"Oh stop it!" Frankie snapped. "It's nice to meet you Rosaelyn. Ignore Harriman, he's a stuffy bunny."

Rosaelyn smiled as she shook her hand.

"Senor Mac is here!" a voice yelled.

A purple monster came running over to them and hugged Mac. He looked at the girl and said, "Who is Senorita?"

"This is Rosaelyn," Mac said. "Rosaelyn this is Edwardo."

"Nice to meet you," Rose said.

"Hola Senorita Rosa!" Edwardo said hugging Rose gently.

"Cocococo!" a voice came.

Rose smiled as a strange bird-like creature and a very tall skinny red imaginary friend came over.

"Wilt! Coco!" Mac said. "Come over here and meet Rosaelyn!"

The bird-like creature ran over to them and extended her foot.

"Coco, cococo cococo coco co coco!" she said.

Rosaelyn raised an eyebrow and looked at Mac.

"Hi…I'm Rosaelyn?"

"That's Coco," Mac said. "All she says is coco, but you get used to it eventually."

"Hi you must be Mac's new friend," the tall thin red imaginary friend said holding out a hand.

His fingers were long and had suction cups on the ends of his fingers. He had a stubby arm and one of his eye stalks were bent and rattled when he moved. Rosaelyn smiled gently and took his hand.

"I'm Rosaelyn," Rose said smiling. "But you guys can call me Rose."

"I'm Wilt," the imaginary friend said smiling. "Nice to finally meet someone who doesn't stare at my… abnormalities."

She smiled and said, "It's not polite to stare at people's disfigurations."

Rose licked her hand and ran it across her forearm, to reveal scars on her arm. She heard Mac sharply inhale as she wiped it off her other arm and face. Faint scars appeared on her arms and face. She looked at Mac and said very simply, "I told you I did not like fire…there is a reason for it."

Coco patted her on the back and said, "Coco, coco cococo coco cocococo."

"Coco said you're pretty even with the scars," Frankie translated to a confused Rose.

"Pretty? She looks just as bad as Lisp thing!" Bloo said bluntly, earning him slap in the back of the head from Mac.

"Her name is Lise," Frankie said. "Or at least I think…she doesn't talk anymore."

"You don't want to see her," Bloo said. "She's butt ugly, and a real downer."

Mac smacked Bloo again.

"Ow!"

"Stop insulting Lise and Rose," Mac growled. "And I'll stop hitting you."

Rose grabbed Mac's hand and said, "Can I see her? Please?"

Mac looked to Mr. Harriman.

"Can she stay please? She won't tell anyone, and I think she needs some good friends," Mac said looking at Mr. Harriman.

"Of course she can stay," Frankie said. "I'm sure my grandma won't mind…besides kid looks like she could use some time here."

Mr. Harriman looked at the girl and said, "Listen to me young lady, you will not tell anyone about your visits here to you understand?"

"Yeah," Rose said.

"Who would she tell?" Wilt asked.

"I don't have a family. I'm a foster kid… in a temporary home," she said looking at them.

They looked at her with soft eyes. Mac wrapped his arm around Rosaelyn's small frame.

"Let's go see Lise," he said Wilt taking the lead.

Wilt led the others through the house, up to the second to the top floor. There was a room that was painted blue. Completely blue. It was a dark rich royal blue, and it was very dark. A small thin dark purple creature looked at them. It was missing some of its purple fur that was streaked with blue like the walls. Its eyes were a foggy sightless blue. Scars covered were the fur had apparently been singed off. Rosaelyn let her voice fill the room.

"Annalise!"

The imaginary creature turned around and said, "Rosaelyn?"

The girl ran over to the purple and blue furred creature. She hugged it and patted the creature on the back. She wrapped her arm around the girl. The furry creature cried and so did the girl.

"I thought you were gone forever!" Rose cried.

"I thought so as well Rosy," the creature said.

Rose turned to look at Mac and she hugged him tight.

"This is Annalise Mac," Rose said looking at the boy.

Mac smiled and shook Annalise's hand. Mac looked at Annalise and Rose.

"Do you guys wanna go play? We could play in the club house we built in the back yard," Mac suggested looking at them.

"Sure!" Rose said. "What about you Anna?"

"If you want Rosy," Annalise said.

Annalise left her room holding Rosaelyn's hand. Bloo grimaced at them. Rosaelyn was also holding Mac's hand. HIS BEST FRIEND! She was taking his friend! His creator! Bloo didn't like them. Mac led them out to the club house. It was a wooden house. It was rather tall because they had to make sure Wilt could fit in too. The walls weren't painted and there wasn't a lot of decorations. Mac explained how they'd just built the club house. Ed mentioned a card game, and Coco laid an egg. A deck of cards popped out, and Mac shuffled them. They started a game of "Spit" and the girls were having a grand old time.

Bloo remembered how much both Lise and Rose hated fire. He smiled and ran into the house. He finally found what he was looking for. The matches, which Frankie had hidden in a box in the corner of the mantel, above the fireplace. He took them and ran back out.

"Hey," Rose said. "Where's Bloo?"

"I dunno," Mac said looking around.

"HEY MAC LOOK!" Bloo said running in with the matches.

Rosaelyn didn't move, but Annalise bolted out of the club house. Coco smacked Bloo and ran after her. Wilt looked at Bloo and said, "Get those out of here!"

Bloo lit a match and walked towards Rosaelyn.

"What now scaredy cat?" Bloo teased.

Rosaelyn grabbed Mac's hand, her blue eyes wide with fear. Bloo stepped towards her, and Ed ran out of the club house. Bloo tripped and the match fell on the floor. Mac looked at him and screamed, "OUT!"

Wilt pushed Rosaelyn out, knowing her fear would overtake her. Mac shoved Bloo out of the club house. The match had landed on the cards, igniting them. The wood started to burn. Smoke burned Mac's eyes and throat. He tried to find his way out.

"Where's Mac?" Rosaelyn cried.

"He's still inside! Oh my gosh!" Wilt yelled. "ED GET FRANKIE AND HARRIMAN!"

"WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE HIM IN THERE!" Rose cried in protest.

Wilt tried to grab Rose, but she bolted back inside.

Mac was choking on the smoke, his lungs burning. She cried out, "MAC!"

Mac heard her cries and coughed. She ran over to him. The girl grabbed him and tried to pull him out. She was terrified, but she knew she had to pull him out. She felt a hand around her waist. Wilt pulled the two of them out of the club house. Rose smothered out the flames that licked his shirt. She rolled around in the grass making sure she wasn't on fire.

Rose felt the familiar burning pain. She'd been burned, not as bad as when she was a child, but it still stung harshly. Frankie and Harriman came speeding towards them. Rose looked down at Mac. He had some burns on his arms, legs, and a few on his face. Rose was afraid to touch Mac. She was afraid to hurt him. Frankie had called the fire department.

"How did you do that?" Wilt asked Rose.

"What?" Rose asked.

"Go into the fire," Wilt said. "How did you face your fear?"

"I-I-I knew I had to save Mac," Rose said looking at him. "That's all I was thinking about."

The ambulance came, as well as the fire trucks. Two men rushed over to them and they asked Rose what happened. She said one of them had been playing with matches. Mac and Rose were taken to the hospital where their burns were tended to.

As soon as Rose could, she went to go visit Mac. She held his hand and cried. Her foster mother hadn't been pleased with her being with Mac. Her foster mother was thinking about getting rid of her. Mac squeezed her hand weakly.

"It'll be okay," Mac said comfortingly. "We'll make it through."

Frankie looked at Rose. She shook her head and said, "If your foster mother doesn't want you, then I'll take you."

Frankie had been impressed by her bravery and thought Rose was a good kid. Rose hugged Frankie and smiled. Mac had a grin on his face too. The boy smiled as the two girls hugged each other. Frankie felt a sisterly affection for both Mac and Rose. Mac grimaced as his face began to sting. Rose patted his shoulder very gently.

"The pain won't last for long," Rose reassured.

Mac nodded to the blonde and they stayed quiet for the longest time. A blue blob appeared in the room with them. It was Bloo. He looked at Rose and Mac.

"I'm sorry…" he said. "I only meant to scare Rose."

"Why Bloo?" Rose asked.

"I didn't like you being so close to Mac," he admitted, ashamed of himself. "I got jealous."

"Not the first time," Mac sighed. "I'm so sorry Rose."

"It's okay. I forgive you Bloo," she said. "It's not your fault Mac."

The four were silent, Bloo, Frankie, Rose, and Mac. They stayed quiet for a long while.

Three months later:

Rosaelyn Foster was finally happy. She had her imaginary friend back, and a group of new friends. She'd even made amends with Bloo, even though he'd nearly killed her and Mac. Bloo admitted he'd done it out of jealousy. Mac decided that Rose was the only girl he liked, and he decided to go "steady" with her. At first it was little things, playing sports together, hanging out, and it escalated to going to the movies, and things of that nature.

Frankie patted Rose on the shoulder as she showed some folks around Foster's. Mac followed her, holding a small girl's hand.

"So you're looking for an imaginary friend for your daughter?" Rose asked.

The woman nodded and nudged her little daughter.

"I want a nice friend. Someone who will be there for me when I need someone," the little girl said.

Annalise came down the steps and the little girl let out a squeal. She let go of Mac's hand and ran over to her. She hugged Annalise tightly. Rosaelyn smiled and bent down on her knees, "This is my imaginary friend. Her name is Annalise. She's the nicest friend you could ever ask for. I want you to promise me one thing…make sure you always love her. She's my best friend, and I want to make sure she's taken care of all right?"

The little girl nodded and her mother went with Mr. Harriman. Annalise and Rosaelyn said a teary goodbye, but Rose knew she could make it. Mac put an arm around her and said, "Why'd you let her go?"

"Mac, I've survived all these years without Annalise. I love her, but I don't want her to feel abandon. Mac…I really like you, and we've been spending a lot of time together, and I don't want Annalise to feel bad about it," Rose said looking at him.

Annalise waved goodbye to Rosaelyn. She wrapped an arm around Mac and Annalise wrapped an arm around the little girl. All four smiled, as the car drove away.


End file.
